Our company was founded in Kyoto’s Okazaki and Shogoin area, where tradition meets innovation and resilience shapes the city’s spirit. The Lake Biwa Canal, which revitalized Kyoto after the capital moved to Tokyo, symbolizes this adaptability, sparking new industries and progress.

This area is also known for its unique blend of academia, art, and culture, creating a seamless connection between daily life and creativity, all set against the scenic Higashiyama mountains.

We created “2wa” as a hub for addressing social issues and contributing to Kyoto’s revitalization. Designed as a shared space, it brings together people from diverse industries and cultures, fostering collaboration and sparking innovation.

With its tenement-style landscape, “2wa” serves as a treasure trove of ideas, where experiences ripple outward to inspire broader impact. The concept of “2wa” reflects the fusion of dual elements—tradition and innovation, academia and business, residents and visitors, or space and time—into a harmonious whole. This blending symbolizes the birth of new culture and industry, marking the start of a renewed story for this region. We named the facility “2wa” to represent this exchange and harmony of “two rings,” while providing a stage for the next generation to create new chapters, drive local revitalization, and elevate the city’s value.

Rooted in our philosophy, “Quality is Value,” we focus on the smallest details to enhance both architecture and the city.
We hope “2wa” becomes a shared balcony, where locals and visitors feel at home and connected to this unique space.

A place where new days are born, where quality daily life is delivered while staying close to each day, A place where new things and people overlap, where people connect with each other, and where people comfortably overlap and are loved.
In Shogoin, Kyoto, a place called 2wa will be born, where tradition and future sensibilities overlap and create a small expansion.

“naming: pronunciation”
niwa /niːwɑː/ 　2wa /tuː dʌb.ljuː eɪ/

“naming keywords”
shogoin, kyoto / garden / two rings (harmony) /
overlapping / the town’s yard /
a place representing ripples (expansion)

The brand name “2wa” abstractly and symbolically represents the essence of a Japanese garden (niwa). A garden is not only a pleasant space and a beautiful landscape but also a place where history and cultural heritage intertwine. It embodies the philosophy of respecting nature and valuing harmony, embracing the changing seasons and the passage of time. A garden is a place that brings peace and tranquility to those who visit—a space that enriches daily life.

With this deep meaning in mind, we have designed a cohesive brand identity for 2wa, from the name and symbol mark to the logo, signage, and merchandise. Looking toward the future, we have created a design that is both contemporary and timeless—combining gentleness with innovation. This vision is at the heart of 2wa’s design.

Overlapping Ridges
Inspired by the ridgelines of Higashiyama, the design features gently sloping, intersecting roofs. Rooted in Kyoto’s Okazaki landscape, it harmonizes with nature while shaping fluid pathways. Blending function with beauty, the space integrates daily life and culture, connecting the community and visitors in a “city within a three-dimensional garden.”

This four-story building, with one basement level, is centered on the concept of “well-being,” offering services that support daily life. It features grocery stores, restaurants, clinics, and wellness services that enhance convenience and quality of life. Designed as a hub for creative exchange, it fosters business connections across Japan and beyond, redefining the relationship between living and working. With over 50 basement parking spaces, the facility welcomes visitors arriving by car and serves as a central base for exploring the Okazaki area. Blending function and community, it establishes itself as a new landmark in the region.

The ground floor of “2wa” seamlessly connects to the garden, creating a space where restaurants and shops blend with the surroundings, reflecting the seasons and Kyoto’s charm. A supermarket also serves the local community, making this floor a hub for both residents and visitors to experience a new way of living.

This floor serves as a symbol of wellness for the community, offering not only daily medical care but also health-focused dining and services. A grand staircase connecting to the upper floors features heated flooring, providing a comfortable space for people to sit, converse, and relax.

An office floor designed from scratch to rethink the connections between work, life, and community. It encourages awareness, conversations, and new perspectives. By shaping shared spaces and office entrances to foster meaningful encounters, it transforms chance meetings into valuable connections, proposing a new way of working for the future.

An innovative office floor extending from the levels below. As a symbol of the working community, a shared kitchen sits atop the central staircase connecting the 2nd to 4th floors. Designed for both daily tenant use and events in the stair hall, it serves a wide range of needs, including catering to visiting guests.

The facility offers 54 parking spaces for tenants and visitors, making it a convenient hub for work, dining, and shopping in the Okazaki area. At the center, service tenants cater to the needs of local residents.

The impetus for this project was the need to rebuild due to the aging of the existing building. However, we strongly felt that it should not be merely a reconstruction. Given that the previous building was a local landmark and the birthplace of our company, we imposed upon ourselves the mission of ensuring that it remains a regional landmark for the next 70 years. We also aimed for this project to be a significant turning point in our company's history when looking back from the future.

Furthermore, on the same Nijo Street stands the Kyoto Kaikan (now Rohm Theatre), designed by Kunio Maekawa. Building in this location comes with a substantial social responsibility. Therefore, we believed it was essential not only to establish a solid concept but also to collaborate on design details, sharing both the challenges and joys of creation.

We envisioned this facility as a second home for its users, akin to an "engawa" (veranda), proposing new work styles and serving as a hub connecting the surrounding distinctive communities. We hope to continue observing with our project team whether these objectives are realized.

The relationship between "work" and "life," including new work styles and work-life balance, has been a subject of discussion for some time. But is "work" truly just a "burden," a "hardship," or merely "labor" performed in exchange for compensation? As a "community space," by blurring these boundaries, could we not create new "awakenings" for both aspects?​

We perceive the primary challenge of this project as addressing this "change in lifestyle." Coincidentally, since the project's inception in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant transformations and habitual shifts to our daily lives. While an unfortunate event, it also signaled a turning point, a shift in tides that we could not ignore.​

The physical and psychological distances between work and life needed to be redefined. This learning has been continuously integrated into the experiential value of this project. With the cultural and academic atmosphere of Kyoto's Okazaki area, combined with its prime location offering excellent access to the city center and transportation, we believe that "2wa" may present one possible answer to this challenge.​

"Work" and "Life"—these two harmonies (2wa)—are, in the era of 100-year lifespans, a new value that this project proposes to society.

We have encapsulated various thoughts and aspirations for this project in the word “NIWA: garden” and entrusted it with our vision. Furthermore, we have given it an abstract meaning and a globally recognizable symbolic brand name: “2wa.”

Imagining a bright future ahead, we have approached brand design with a contemporary perspective and mindset, valuing both sophistication and a sense of warmth and kindness. From designing the brand logo to selecting colors and typography, creating original pictograms and signage, and developing web communications, we have taken a comprehensive approach to brand design.

This place is envisioned as a space not only for daily life but also as an office or workplace, as well as a destination for weekends and travel. We hope that from here, many pleasant days and meaningful moments will emerge, and that this space will be embraced as a modern interpretation of a “NIWA” in Kyoto. We hope that it will be a place cherished by many.

Kyoto is a city that continues to captivate people by preserving its long-standing traditions while embracing new ideas, allowing both values to coexist and creating a multifaceted urban landscape. However, the number of traditional townhouses that constitute Kyoto's unique streetscape is decreasing, leading to more generic buildings and scenery. In this context, our team consistently shared the desire to create spaces and landscapes that can only be born under Kyoto's identity and in this specific location.

Despite strict regulations concerning scenery and sunlight, we focused on the quality and scale of the space by carefully selecting materials, colors, and motifs, maintaining discipline and restraint. We believe this approach allowed us to present an essential form of Kyoto's character without relying solely on direct expressions like the building's exterior.

Situated between the commercial area of Kawaramachi and the cultural district of Okazaki, we hope this place becomes a point of intersection where various people meet. We earnestly wish that not only tourists but also local residents use 2wa as a perch, leading to a richer life. As time passes, we pray that 2wa grows within Kyoto, mutually influencing the surrounding community and becoming a building cherished by many.

The building's structure is primarily composed of concrete, with minimal additional materials used to create various functional spaces. This approach balances the dynamic presence of the architecture with the comfort of the interior spaces.

In this project, the lighting design focuses on evoking natural comfort and aesthetic appeal. Instead of having the lighting fixtures themselves stand out, the plan emphasizes showcasing the space through the effects of light. This approach ensures safety and functionality while maximizing the architectural design's expression.

Architecture is realized through the overlapping thoughts of various individuals. Unlike the Showa era, where a single master held all authority, the Reiwa era emphasizes collective wisdom and co-creation. Clients, designers, architects, and builders deepen the content while respecting each other's positions. Determining what architecture suits the Shogoin area, what specifications are appropriate for this building, and how to tailor necessary facilities for the future—conclusions drawn from various perspectives can accommodate diverse values. The result differs from buildings that solely pursue profitability and efficiency.

At times, individual intentions may diverge, leading to challenges. However, professional dedication drives serious engagement. We listen to the voices of all involved, consider the best solutions, and make decisions by taking risks. With many project members, the work was challenging. We often found ourselves navigating between architectural design, business profitability, construction rationality, and legal compliance. Kyoto is a unique region, and we pondered how a creative team from outside the city could exert their strengths here.

Translating the client's intentions and the designer's thoughts, aligning with individual ideas, and increasing options during decision-making to enhance consensus—evaluating the role of a project manager in this context will come in time. We sincerely hope that this building overflows with the smiles of its users and visitors.